The present invention relates to the field of audio electronics and more specifically to an improved automobile audio amplifier. The predominant current usage of the present inventive automobile audio amplifier is in high quality audio systems wherein it is desirable to provide a relatively large high power amplifier while maintaining a neat a visually pleasing appearance and adequate cooling to dissipate the heat from the amplifier.
Automotive sound systems are generally vastly improved over comparable systems of only a few years ago. Stock systems from the automobile manufacturers are often equal to or better than many of the after market custom systems of the past. Nevertheless, the remains an increasing demand for even bigger and better sounding after market audio amplifiers and other automotive audio components.
In providing improved high power audio systems, one of the more problematic components has been the audio amplifier. The available space in automotive installations is inherently quite limited, and such amplifiers are inherently fairly large. Moreover, such amplifiers require a large cooling surface in order to dissipate the heat produced, and this large cooling surface has generally been in the form of cooling fins which take up even more space.
Yet another problem encountered in the installation of automobile audio power amplifiers is that the wires which must be connected to the amplifier should also be fairly large in order to adequately provide power to the speakers without damping or other unwanted effect. Such wires are, themselves, often unsightly in that it is difficult to conceal at least a portion of the wire runs. Also, the point at which the wires connect to the amplifier can be less than desirably attractive.
A review of the literature in the field reveals that the available high power automobile audio amplifiers are essentially all xe2x80x9csurface mountxe2x80x9d type units which are designed to be affixed (by bolts, or the like) to a flat surface, with cooling fins protruding from surfaces not directly adjacent to the mounting surface. Since the mounting surface of the amplifier cannot be expected to dissipate heat well (because it will be flush against an automobile surface which may well not be a good conductor of heat, and further because efficient heat transfer between the amplifier surface and the automobile surface cannot be assured) the entire cooling surface must be provided by the cooling fins and, therefore, the cooling fins must necessarily be relatively large.
Yet another factor in the placement of an audio power amplifier is that the owner, while obviously not wanting the amplifier to be unsightly or obtrusive, may not want the amplifier to be completely hidden from view either. Indeed, when the owner has gone to the trouble and expense of installing a xe2x80x9chigh endxe2x80x9d stereo system in an automobile, the owner may well like to keep the power amplifier tastefully and unobtrusively displayed. To this end, after market audio systems are often installed on a mounting board which is frequently located in the trunk of the automobile. However, such solutions have still left the unsightly wires exposed, thereby negating much of the advantage of trying to make a neat an attractive installation.
It would be advantageous to have an automobile audio amplifier which could be mounted in a more attractive manner and/or in a manner which takes better advantage of the available space. However, to the inventor""s knowledge, while many variations exist, no amplifier has improved on the conventional surface mounted amplifiers currently available on the market.
It would also be advantageous to have an automobile audio amplifier which provides is increased cooling area without the necessity of large cooling fins. However, the fact that essentially all such amplifiers on the market today rely upon cooling though a cooling surface which does not include generally all surfaces of the amplifier evidences the fact that such an improvement has not existed in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automobile audio amplifier which can be unobtrusively and neatly installed.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an automobile audio amplifier which provides for routing of connecting wires without exposing such wires within the passenger compartment of the automobile.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an automobile power amplifier which can be easily and inexpensively installed.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an automobile audio amplifier which provides a large cooling surface area without the necessity of large and unsightly cooling fins.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an automobile power amplifier which is attractive in appearance and yet effective in operation.
Briefly, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a solid state automobile audio power amplifier having a housing shaped such that the amplifier can be mounted in a mounting hole such as might be provided or produced in the passenger compartment of an automobile. An xe2x80x9cupperxe2x80x9d amplifier body will project into a first area (such as the passenger compartment) while a xe2x80x9clowerxe2x80x9d amplifier body will project into a second area (such as the trunk, or within the door of the automobile). Connecting wires are affixed to the lower amplifier body so as to as to eliminate the necessity of running such wires within the first area. Since very little of the amplifier is mounted flush against any surface, most of the entire surface of the amplifier is provided as a cooling surface. In a described embodiment, optional legs are provided for mounting the amplifier entirely within a single area.
An advantage of the present invention is that the appearance of an automobile audio amplifier is improved while retaining the functionality.
A further advantage of the present invention is that an increased cooling surface is provided.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that wires may be routed through the trunk, or the like, of an automobile.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that limited space within an automobile is preserved.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and the industrial applicability of the preferred embodiment as described herein and as illustrated in the several figures of the drawing.